Hidden Reality
by hummingpetal
Summary: We all love the original books, but the final ending became rather... predictable during fifth year - so here's a twist in the original that spins a rather different tale! Annoying Ron, manipulative/bad Dumbles, good Snape, Harry/Hermione sibbling relationship, and much much more! Try it, come on - I'm sure you've read worse before!
1. Chapter 1

**Hidden Reality**

_Well, nothing you recognize belongs to me, and most of the concepts belong to JK Rowling (awesome writer that she is). _

_Anyways, this takes Place about mid-fifth year, at the point where Harry's siding with Hermione is the Ron/ Hermione/ Lavlav affair. This is not a pro-Ronnikins story, so if that's what you're looking for, I appologize but this is not what you should be reading. This is a manipulative Dumbles tale as well, so.. You have been warned! Dolores is here, and up to now everything's been like in the original books, and if some previous event was different, it will be specificlly mentioned. Mr Weasly hasn't been attacked yet either, and Dolores is starting to make her move!_

_Hope you enjoy! _

Severus Tobias Snape was not in a good mood. That much was obvious to Harry the moment he set foot in the dungeons, heading towards a gloomy morning of double potions.

At least, if the loud curses coming from the potions classroom at the end of the hall were anything to go by.

Harry glanced sideways, catching Hermione's eye, and they sighed. She paused for a second, readjusted her bag on her shoulder, and boldly continued marching towards the door like a true Gryffindor, as though she hadn't a fear in the world. Harry smiled slightly as he watched her, glad to have rekindled a spark of the old Hermione; the one who wasn't broken because of witnessing too many scenes where Ron would go at it with Lavender.

No, this Hermione had double potions, and was going to learn enough to pass her OWLs regardless of the teacher's mood, or so help any poor soul who happened across her path.

Gathering his own courage, Harry followed her in.

He sighed softly as he dropped his bag onto the cold marble slab besides a large silver cauldron, and rummaged through his bag in search of his potions kit and textbooks. Besides him, Mione was contemplating the rather unusual presence of the silver cauldrons - usually Snape only put out steel or iron ones. There were very few potions that required being brewed inside pure silver, and very few of those were taught before NEWTs for fear that some dunderheaded student would cause the rather rare cauldron's to melt or explode.

He exchanged a glance with Hermione as the door that led to Snape's private quarters was viciously flung open, slamming into the wall with enough force to rattle the carefully arranged potions stacked neatly on the shelves. That would explain his foul mood. There was a rather realistic chance that poor Neville would indeed manage to ruin one of the precious cauldron's this class.

"Wonder what we're brewing," Hermione muttered softly, still eying the cauldron besides them with curiosity.

After a few awkward moments where they shifted uneasily in the seats while Snape glowered at the clock, glanced at them briefly, and then continued glaring at the clock. Snape had most recently taken to ignoring Harry completely, and honestly it was the best arrangement for the class they'd reached to date. Harry's potions were significantly improving without having to endure a constant string of disapproval while he tried to work, and without Ron's sloppy habits to mess them up, although not quite on par with Hermione's, they were close. This seemed to prolong his respite from Snape's torment, and thus they'd reached an unspoken agreement.

Harry avoided Ron and applied himself, and Snape left him alone.

Eventually the chatter of approaching students drifted down the hall, breaking the awkward silence that floated around the room. The two friends stiffened, eying Snape's stony face cautiously.

This would be ... Interesting.

'Genetic tree revelototum' appeared on the board with a flick of Snape's wand, and Hermione's shoulders sagged slightly. Deciding it would be prudent to avoid speaking at the moment, Harry took a couple deep breaths and focused on calming his thoughts, entering the mind realm. Hermione had been doing some extra reading in the library at the start of the year, and had stumbled across the concepts of occlumency and legitemency. Needing someone to practice with, she and Harry had both taughto themselves the basics, and took it in turns to attack each other's mind - strengthening simultaneously their legitemency and the other's defensive walls.

But it had the added advantage of them being able to communicate with each other non-verbally, and to have learned to recognize when someone endeavored to enter their head.

Harry gathered himself and sent a tendril of thought to bush against the shields of his sister in all but blood. Recognizing his magical signature, Hermione lowered her walls to accept the wispy thought.

"Mione? What's wrong?"

Harry heard the small mental chuckle she released, having left his mind open a he awaited her reply.

"'Genetic tree revelototum' does exactly what you'd expect; reveals your entire magical ancestry."

"Right." Harry felt slightly guilty for being excited about learning more about his family, knowing that of course, being muggleborn, for Hermione such a potion would be a rather pointless waste of time and ingredients.

"Harry James Potter!" Whoops, he'd left his shields down.

"Alright, alright." he thought back cutting her off before she could really get started. "But Mione, I mean who knows? You could be a decedent from a very long line of squibs of something!"

There was a slight pause, and Harry cut the connection as Snape began to stand. Hermione's eyes now held a glint of excitement that had been previously lacking.

Ron stumbled in the door just before it slammed shut behind him, tearing his robe slightly in the process. Harry reflected briefly that Hermione sneering in contempt was not exactly a comforting sight.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor," Snape snarled.

Harry struggled to hide a grin. After all, he didn't want the other Gryffindors to tear him apart - but at this point anything that made Ron unhappy pleased Harry's less public vindictive side to no end. Not being on speaking terms with the red head since he'd purposefully crushed his Mione had given them both a bit of distance and a chance to observe that he really was a complete idiot, not to mention git.

Hermione rolled her eyes slightly at Harry, and he didn't need legitemency to read that phrase. 'Wonder why were ever friends' indeed! And a tinge of 'Oh my God, I really don't know what I ever saw in him!'

Harry grinned.

The old Hermione was back.

"One powdered unicorn hair... Turn thrice clockwise, and we're done!" Hermione exclaimed as Harry quickly dowsed the flames under their joint simmering cauldron.

They grinned at each other; the potion was perfect and they knew it. It was impossible not to feel pleased - the silver liquid almost indistinguishable from the delicate cauldron that surrounded it.

"Well, well." Snape's voice startled the two, his quiet approach from behind had gone unnoticed. They turned around nervously, waiting for the snide remarks to start. It was the first time this year Snape had actually acknowledged either of their presence's in the room.

But Snape merely nodded and moved on, leaving Harry and Hermione to stare after him in slight surprise. "Did he really just.."

Hermione blinked owlishly. "I think he did."

"Equivalent of three hearty cheers, huh?" Harry mused, completely thrown.  
They sat back, observing their classmates' efforts as they had a bit of time to spare. Harry carefully drew and set aside two flasks of the silver liquid for use, and picked up the pins Snape had handed out at the beginning of the lesson.  
Poor Neville's cauldron now resembled an indistinct pile of ashen mush, and Snape's shoulders seemed to sag in defeat as he made his way over to the mess, banishing it all without a word.

"Ready?" Harry asked, pulling Hermione back to the task at hand. Snape had stressed that it was a Hogwarts requirement that everyone complete this potion and discover their family trees, and muggleborns were expected to participate as well. After all, you never knew.

Snape had said some rather interesting discoveries had been made in this fifth year class in the past.

"Yep," she replied, popping the 'p' slightly. Together, they opened their pins and pressed it gently into the tip of their index finger until three drops of ruby red blood fell into the vials they'd placed on the desk.

Immediately, both vials turned crystal clear, and teens sighed in relief.

"Episky" Harry muttered at both their fingers, healing the torn tissues.

"Stop." Snape's voice rang through the air, and everyone obediently put their wands down as he surveyed the damage. "Since everyone is required to go through the inheritance test, you must each try your own potions. You will then be required to take the test a second time using a flask of this potion," Hermione fell off her seat in surprise as their cauldron drifted up to professor Snape's desk. "Your success will be rated depending on the similarities between the results."

With a flick of his wand, all the other cauldron's were banished away for him to sort out later, and two rolls of ivory colored parchment appeared before each child.

"Begin," he droned.

As students around them began to add drops of blood to the sample vials of their potions or, like Neville who's potion was now nonexistent, moved forward for a vial of the potion on Snape's desk, Hermione picked herself trying to recover from shock. Harry was still staring slightly slack-jawed at the beautiful silver cauldron simmering on Snape's desk. Their cauldron!

Hermione's gentle hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

"Remember," professor Snape reminded the class, "brewed correctly, the results can not lie."

Hidden Reality


	2. Chapter 2

_Here you go :) Chapter two is here! _

_I do appologize for the delay though, that was longer than intended. Just for futur referencce, I'm going to (cross my fingers) update at leadt once a week from here on forward. _

_Hope you emjoy! I really appreciate the reviews and favs/ follows that I recieved, made me incredibly happy, so just wanted to say thank you!_

**Chapter 2**_  
_

"On three, alright?"

Hermione nodded, biting her lower lip gently in excitement and with a slight twinge of apprehension.

_"What if I'm not really a muggleborn?"_

A wry grin touched his face as he felt the thought brush his carefully constructed walls. "Well then," he muttered softly, picking up his vial and unrolling one of the ivory white scrolls before him. "Malfoy'll have a feast."

She grinned slightly. "All those words he'll have to eat... I'm almost hoping something'll show now."

"One, two... Three!"

Together, they tipped their vials down, allowing three crystal drops to splatter onto the parchment. Immediately upon contact, they sunk in and disappeared. Hermione held her breath as she mentally counted the ten agonizingly slow seconds, and Harry leaned forward in anticipation, eager to learn more about his family. All he had was a few pictures and stories from the Weasels, Sirius, Lupin and Hagrid.

They were distracted by a loud bang that shattered the dungeon air, and a blast of heat that shattered several of the glass vials along the walls. Toppling to the ground amidst cries of pain and surprise, Snape's voice was audible to all through the chaos. "Everyone, down! Now! And Mr. Finnigan, detention with me until you're 23! What the hell were you thinking?!"

Feeling slightly dazed, Harry propped himself up against the bottom of his desk, helping Hermione straighten up as well.

"What was that," she muttered.

"Bloody idiot Gryffindor added and ash wood root instead of an ashvood root." Malfoy said as he dusted his robes off. Having been closer to the explosion, he'd been flung forward to their desk.

Hermione groaned. "So then he added his blood.."

"And was surprised the thing combusted." Harry concluded wryly. The three shared a rather cynical grin, then seemed to realize who they were talking to and Malfoy quickly crawled back towards his desk.

"This day just gets stranger and stranger.."

It had been ten minutes since the Seamus disaster, and Snape had managed to smother the flames shooting from his vial and fix most of the broken glass in the room. The students were still crouching bellow their desks, awaiting the 'all clear' before they arose. Snape's mood was blacker then the deepest abyss in hell, and Seamus and Justin had been taken to the hospital wing.  
"Up! Finish your work in silence while I fix up this mess."

Harry cautiously stood, and extended a hand down to help Hermione up. His gaze swept the room, taking in the damage, when he heard Hermione's gasp. he spun towards her, registering her stunned gaze trailing on the once blank ivory sheet of paper still lying on the desk, the edges of the parchment singed but otherwise undamaged. Long, twisting lines and names were scrawled across the parchment in a blood red ink.

Hermione's eyes rolled back and Harry barely caught her before she hit the ground.

"Ms Granger."

"Mione, Mione are you alright?!"

"Ms Granger."

"Mione, please. Answer me!"

_"...Harry?"_

Snape watched curiously as Harry's face suddenly relaxed, and he cradled Hermione's head in his lap, stroking her hair away from her face, his eyes closed in relief. Yet the girl still hadn't moved yet. Interesting.

_"Oh God Mione, you gave us quite a scare there. What happened?"_

_"Harry.. Harry, have you seen your parchment?" _

_"Not yet, I mean, you fell down so I was slightly distracted,"_ he teased her gently.

_"Grab them."_ Her voice was suddenly urgent._ "Yours and mine. No one must see them." _

_"What?!"_

_"Please Harry. Just do it. ... And don't look yet." _

She began to stir, so Harry gently lowered her head as everyone's attention was focused on the awakening girl, and quickly stood, sweeping the scrolls on the desk into his arms with a slightly puzzled expression on his face. Snape was the only one who noticed, and an eyebrow slipped past his mask of indifference, rising slightly at the boy's curious behavior. He noticed Potter didn't even look at them, simply holding the parchments close.

"Place your vials and scrolls in the cupboard, we'll finish this tomorrow." There was only a certain amount of drama one could take in a day after all. "Class dismissed, now out!" Snape snarled as the students hurriedly complied.

Hermione, who was groggily standing supported by Harry, suddenly looked panic stricken.

She looked between her friend and the potions master, and Snape watched out of the corner of his eye as Potter's shoulders slumped slightly and he nodded his head looking resigned.

As the unfamiliar tendril of thought brushed gently against his firm occlumency shields, Snape started in surprise and grasped his desk, turning away from the class to hide the look of bewildered astonishment that covered his face.  
_"Professor, we need to talk." _

Snape almost fell over as he felt another, slightly fainter tendril add_,"Privately."_

"Potter, Granger," Snape called, without turning around. "Detention. Tonight, six o'clock."

He was going to get answers, even if it took till dawn.

Hermione smiled grimly as she gathered her bag and walked out. This was going to be interesting, but she wasn't leaving until she received answers; so help her if it took all night.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello! Here's the next chapter - I apologize for not revealing everything at once (but where would the fun be in that?)_

_Anyways, as per usual I still don't own Harry Potter. It all belongs to J.K.R. :)_

_Ideas and reviews are welcome - a special thanks to MotherEarth02 who has been incredibly supportive. Thanks for reading, I hope you like it! ... And, guess what? I've figured out how to make a page break! Yay :D_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The two walked out of the dungeons together, and Harry managed to wait until they reached the corridor on the seventh floor before coming to a stop and rounding on Hermione.

"Alright Mione, I need answers."

The girl sighed softly, and began to pace up and down the hall, brow furrowed as she tried to determine how best to phrase this to her ... Friend.

Having him freaking out and running away wasn't going to help anything; although deep down she knew that Harry would never desert her.

Smiling softly at her last thought, she eased open the door to her favorite room in Hogwarts, feeling some of the tension dissolve as she stepped across the threshold of the room of requirement.

Harry followed her in, quietly shutting the door before he perched himself comfortably on the arm of an elegant armchair, waiting for her to start

Hermione took a deep breath, suddenly irrationally nervous. Fear seemed to swell up within her, invading her mind and numbing her senses. What if he rejected her because of this? What if he hated her? Shunned her? Told her she was lying and never wanted anything to do with her ever again?

She couldn't do this. She couldn't do…

She gasped, remembering to breath as she felt Harry's hands grab her shoulders, pulling her into a hug before she passed out. She took a few gulps of air, steadying her racing heart, before melting into his arms and reminded herself that he would always be there for her when she needed him, that he would never desert her.

"Look Mione, whatever it is I'm sure it can't be all that bad," Harry soothed gently. A small part of his brain was dully noting that this was probably the first time he'd ever seen his sister in all but blood panic over something completely unrelated to exams.

Hermione sighed.

"It appears… that my parents aren't exactly the people I thought they were."

Harry rolled his eyes slightly, "Really? I would never have guessed!"

Hermione drew back, punching him lightly in the arm as Harry pretended he was now gravely wounded. "Harry, can't you be serious for a second? This is important!" But Harry noticed her lips twitch slightly upwards, and decided to push his luck to get her smiling again.

"Nah, that's Padfoot's job – can't steal his title."

He barely had time to blink before she'd rushed at him, toppling him to the ground; eyes alight with amusement despite the scowl etched on her face.

"You seriously had to bring that up?!" Then she slapped a hand over her mouth as Harry's eyes widened further in triumph, but before he could formulate a response she exclaimed, "Oh no you don't! Not again!" And began tickling him mercilessly.

Laughter soon echoed around the cozy room, Harry arming himself with plush pillows from the couch as soon as he was able to make a break for it.

* * *

It was about a quarter of an hour later that saw the teens relaxing on the couch before the fire, roasting a packet of marshmallows they'd accidentally discovered in one of the cupboards before calling a truce. Although this was usually considered an outdoor camping activity, Hermione had insisted they use them now, as she knew perfectly well that the Dursleys would never have taken Harry camping. Damn them.

"So, you were saying…?" Harry began, loathing breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over the room, yet unable to quench his curiosity any longer.

"Right," Hermione began, taking a deep breath. "Hand me those scrolls, will you? Thanks."

There was a pause, before Harry once again urged her onwards, "Mione?"

"Sorry. Lost in thought. So, umm… where to begin?"

Harry chuckled softly, "How about the beginning?"

Hermione cracked a grin, "Always a good place to start, isn't it?"

There was another pause.

"Mione, you should know that I love you – you're the sister I never had. Whatever this is, we'll make it through together, I promise."

He'd been unprepared, however, for the huge grin that split Hermione's face as it contorted with laughter.

"Hihihihi… And to think… Hehehe… I was so worried…. But of course… Hahaha!"

Harry watched her for a moment, perplexed, before decideding she was fine and throwing his hands up in the air in mock despair. "That's it, she's finally lost it!" He declared to the room at large.

Hermione glared at Harry slightly as her giggles redoubled in force, clutching her sides in an attempt to breath before she managed to calm down again.

"You know, laughing is supposed to extend your life…" Harry defended himself quickly. "I'm only looking out for you sis…"

Hermione's face split into a smile at that. "Harry, you have no idea how true those words are. I'm glad you love me as your sister because, as it turns out, I am."

"Wait, what?!" Harry burst out, taken totally by surprise.

"Yep." Hermione said, slightly nervously as she made sure to pop the 'p'. She smiled uncertainly at her best friend, the boy she considered a brother that he had miraculously turned out to be.

Harry stared into space for a few seconds, just long enough for all Hermione's insecurities to come flooding back. This is it, he's going to call me a liar, to reject me, to tell me that can't be true…

"That's awesome!" Harry's face split into a large grin as he jumped up to hug his sister, who laughed in relief as she clutched at his robes.

"You… you don't mind?"

"Do I look like I do?"

She hit him upside the head. "Pratt."

"Must be genetic," he got out fast, and then ran for it as she realized the implications of that phrase. Grabbing a pillow, she tore after him, a huge smile lighting up her features.

* * *

"So… this makes us what? Twins?" Harry asked, chewing reverently on a (albeit slightly burnt) marshmallow.

Mione thought for a moment. "Must be. Unless we're a year apart… Oh! That explains it!"

Harry raised an eyebrow, sending out the unspoken message of, 'care to share?'

"Nope," she said. Giggling slightly at his affronted expression, Hermione elaborated. "Well, I'd always wondered why my letter came on the 31st of July. Everyone else said they got theirs on their birthday."

Harry grinned; eyes alight with glee.

"Ha!" Mione exclaimed rather suddenly, "I bet you I'm the older one through!"

"What? And just why would you assume that?"

"Simple – I'm more responsible, not to mention intelligent, better looking, more… ouch! No, come on, the pillows have already been abused enough for one day!"

Harry paused for a moment as he stared at his sister in curiosity. "But, you don't exactly look like my – our – parents…"

Hermione's demeanor changed instantly. "You know, that's an excellent question."

"It's odd though, you know, since our parents were…" Hermione cut him off.

"Harry… there's more." She mumbled, averting her gaze from her brother's. This would be the hardest part.

"More?" Harry's eye's bulged, incredulous. There was more than discovering he had a mysterious long lost twin?

Hermione closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Better to get this over with…

She handed him one of the scrolls.

Harry's jaw dropped to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

_And here's another chappie! I've finally revealed what on those scrolls as well as (you're lucky today, I was feeling generous) most of the explanation behind it! Read and enjoy! Review if inclined :) _

_And a very Happy New Year to you all!_

* * *

**Chapter 4 **

The siblings were rather quiet throughout dinner, each lost in their own thoughts. Hermione's musings as to why she'd been separated from Harry at birth were interrupted by a giggling Parvati.

"Have you heard?" she asked, eyes alight with some new rumor. Harry hid a grin, unsympathetic to his sister's desperate plea of 'save me!' she'd sent his way upon spotting her giggling dorm mate. Resigned to her fate, Hermione kicked Harry from under the table, plastered a grin on her face and quirked an eyebrow.

"No, I don't think I did. What's happened?"

This sent Parvati into another bout of giggles, "Well you see, ..Ronald,... Although in retrospect it should have been obvious, I mean - just look at the way he eats!" Hermione bit her tongue slightly, waiting (now intrigued) for the rambling girl to get to the point.

"Well it appears," Parvati continued, dropping her voice to a loud whisper, "at least, according to the inheritance potion, that Ronald is a very distant decedent from a troll!"

At this both Harry and Hermione's eyebrows shot up in tandem. Then Hermione Granger, no Potter, well no... Anyways, Hermione, the studious prefect, began to giggle. This brought silence to everyone sitting around her as they simply turned to stare in shock at the normally poised girl giggling... Well, like a school girl.

Eventually, she managed to get the words out, "how... How do ... How do you know?" she wheezed out, sides aching slightly.

"Well, see Seamus discovered he shared a common ancestor with Godric Gryffindor - distant mind you, and he was descended from a very, very long line of squibs. But Ron scoffed at him, and practically announced to the entire common room that apparently Snape's potion didn't work at all, as his had shown that he was part troll."

Now Harry was laughing as well.

"What an Idiot."

* * *

"Enter."

The word rang through the dark corridor outside the potions room, echoing eerily off the stone walls. Harry looked besides him at Hermione, his eyes shining with apprehension.

'Was detention really the only way you could think to do this?' Harry questioned Hermione, as he gathered his Gryffindor courage and pushed open the heavy wooden door. Hermione remained stock still, as if petrified, unable to will her feet to move forward now that they were here. She was terrified - she'd never had detention before. Not even with Umbridge.

"Come on sis, this was your idea." Harry muttered as he tugged lightly on her hand. It as the endearment that finally got her moving; a reminder that whatever happened, they would face it together.

* * *

Severus Snape was seated behind his large desk, papers spilt across the table top as he awaited the Gryffindors for detention. Parchment in hand and an unmoving quill in the other, he sighed in frustration as he realized how little he'd managed to do so far. He'd been troubled all day since the ... rather eventful 5th year's class, unable to shake the feeling of familiarity he'd identified when Ms Granger and Potter had brushed his shields.

Although how they'd accomplished that in the first place was another mystery in and of itself.

That, coupled with Mr. Finnigan's discovery of being not a muggleborn, but rather stemming from a long line of squibs descending from Gryffindor himself and Weasley being part troll had made for quite the eventful afternoon. And then there was Miss Granger's fainting episode, Neville's disaster and that awful explosion...

Snape dropped the parchment back onto his desk and groaned, letting his head fall into his hands as he tried to nurse the rising headache back into oblivion.

There were days he wished he had never come to Hogwarts at all. He heard the soft knock on the wooden door echo around the empty classroom, drawing him out of his musings. For a moment he just sat there, frozen like a deer in the headlights, before gathering himself and calling out "Enter."

This was going to be interesting.

* * *

Hermione pushed open the door and crossed the threshold walking slightly behind Harry, her fear still tumbling around in her stomach like a stampeding group of butterflies. Although she wasn't sure if butterflies performed mass stampedes or not.

"Sit." Snape commanded, motioning to the foremost desk in the room. The tone was pale, void of any emotion. The siblings sat, Harry still firmly grasping Hermione's in his.

Silence stretched throughout the room.

And lingered.

"You wished to speak to me?" Snape suddenly asked, the fatigue of his draining day evident in his voice and on his features, but in that instant he felt too tired to care much that his mask was slipping.

"Yes Sir." The silence stretched some more.

Snape was getting annoyed. He didn't want to do this, not tonight.

"Well, if you're not going to share, the exit is behind you and slightly to the left."

Harry took a deep breath, and turned his gaze to meet his professor's, who felt his heart clench painfully at the sight of their familiar green shade. The conflicting emotions he saw in their depths surprised him.

"Professor Snape, how well did you know Lily Evans?" Snape blinked once. Then twice.

Say what?!

"Excuse me!?" Snape spluttered slightly, completely caught off guard by this turn if events.

Hermione, who had been silent till now, finally burst. "Why didn't you tell us? All these years, and you never said anything! Hell, you weren't even kind to us!"

Snape was starring at her wide-eyed, confusion written plainly on his features, but Hermione was on a roll. "All this time -"

"Hermione, he doesn't know."

* * *

Hermione paused to observe her professor, and groaned in frustration. How the hell was this supposed to make sense!? She felt so confused that she crested on the verge of tears, and Harry leaned over to give her a hug, holding her close and letting her calm down.

"I don't know what, Mr. Potter?" There was no malice in the voice, merely the confusion all the occupants of the room seemed to emanate. Harry's lips twisted in a humorless smile, and - disentangling himself from a distressed twin sister - approached the man's desk. He held out one of what Snape recognized to be the inheritance tests, and said, "Perhaps we could discus this somewhere more comfortable? I have a hunch that this is going to take a while."

Snape took the scroll in confusion. So, the muggleborn must have not been such a miggleborn after all, perhaps that explained her earlier reaction. But what in earth did this have to do with him? He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly - the evening was raising more questions than it was answers. Seeing the boy was watching him expectantly, he sighed and unrolled the scroll. His eyes widened incredulously and the parchment clattered to the floor as he jumped up from behind his desk in surprise.

He stared at the children sitting nervously before him, then at the scroll, then at the children - and back at the scroll laying unrolled on the floor.

And crumpled to the floor, clutching a chain on his neck as heart wrenching sobs tore through his body.

* * *

Harry and Hermione stared a each other in horror, completely unprepared for such a reaction. What on earth were they supposed to do?! No class had ever prepared them for 'what to do when your most hated professor discovers he's your long-lost father and is bawling his eyes out on the floor', 101.

"Professor Snape!" Hermione moved forward, wanting to do something to calm the hysterical man.

"No!" He yelped out, moving away from her as if terrified. Hurt flickered across Hermione's features, and tiny pieces of Snape's shattered heart broke even more. "No child, oh no, no, no, no..."

"And I've... Oh my God. What have I done?" He looked a sickly pale green, and quite suddenly lurched forward, emptying his bowels onto the dungeon floor. Harry ran forward, supporting the trembling professor as he swayed uncertainly on his feet before emptying his stomach again.

"Erm, would this be a bad time?" Draco Malfoy stood uncertainly in the doorway, a look of bewilderment etched on his face.

Severus moaned slightly, trying to move away from Harry who was maintaining a firm grip on his arm, keeping him upright.

Hermione looked relieved to see anyone, and ran over to a stunned Draco standing in the doorway before bursting into tears.

Malfoy was so surprised he didn't even react.

Severus was pale and shaky, but managed to gather himself enough to stop crying and hurling.

"Come," he whispered, leading the way towards his private chambers, finally giving in and leaning on Harry... on his son for support.

Without thinking twice, Draco followed the distressed and confused group, awkwardly comforting the sobbing girl that had attached herself to his side.


End file.
